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enAmon Carter Museum of American Art presents "Self-Taught Genius: Treasures from the American Folk Art Museum"http://www.cartermuseum.org/press/releases/amon-carter-museum-of-american-art-presents-self-taught-genius-treasures-from-the-american-folk-art-museum
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<span class="date-display-single" property="dc:date" datatype="xsd:dateTime" content="2015-07-14T00:00:00-05:00">July 14, 2015</span> </div>
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<p>FORT WORTH, Texas — The groundbreaking exhibition <em>Self-Taught Genius: Treasures from the American Folk Art Museum</em> will be on view at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art from October 10, 2015, through January 3, 2016. The exhibition highlights the roles of self-taught artists as central figures to the shared history of America whose contributions to the national life and conversation are paramount. Admission is free.</p>
<p><em>Self-Taught Genius: Treasures from the American Folk Art Museum</em> is organized by the American Folk Art Museum. The exhibition and the national tour are made possible by generous funding from the Henry Luce Foundation, as part of its 75th anniversary initiative. The local presentation is sponsored by the Kleinheinz Family Foundation for the Arts and Education.</p>
<p>The exhibition presents an original premise that considers the changing implications of self-taught in the United States from a deeply entrenched and widespread culture of self-education in the early national period to its usage today to describe artists working outside the art historical canon and often in isolated circumstances.</p>
<p>“This exhibition serves as a landmark,” says Anne-Imelda Radice, Ph.D., Executive Director of the American Folk Art Museum, “by locating the genesis of a field that has grown and become even more complex than ever before, and by clarifying its scope and substance. <em>Self-Taught Genius: Treasures from the American Folk Art Museum</em> provides new insight into the critical role of artists all-too-often overlooked.”</p>
<p>Some 100 works by a diverse group of artists, dating from the mid-18th through the early 21st century, and representing more than 50 years of collecting by the American Folk Art Museum, will be on view. These include:</p>
<p>• <em>Girl in Red Dress with Cat and Dog</em>, ca. 1830-1835, an oil on canvas by Ammi Phillips (1788–1865)</p>
<p>• <em>The Encyclopedic Palace of the World</em>, ca. 1950s, a towering model designed by Marino Auriti (1891–1980) for a new museum meant to hold all of human discovery in every field, which has most recently been on loan to the 2013 Venice Biennale where it served as the centerpiece of the international fair</p>
<p>• <em>Flag Gate</em>, ca. 1876, a gate by an unidentified artist used to celebrate the nation’s centennial</p>
<p>• a 6-foot-wide paneled watercolor, and various bound and unbound volumes of the writings of Henry Darger (1892–1973)</p>
<p>• an exquisitely stitched <em>Whig Rose and Swag Border Quilt</em>, ca. 1850, made by unidentified slaves on the Morton Plantation in Russellville, Kentucky</p>
<p>• the monumental <em>Mother Symbolically Represented/The Kathredal</em>, 1936, an ink rendering on rag paper by Achilles Rizzoli (1896–1981), who loved to play with words, and frequently used anagrams, acronyms and neologisms in his work</p>
<p>“We are thrilled to bring this esteemed collection to North Texas,” said Dr. Andrew J. Walker, Director of the Amon Carter Museum of American Art. “This will be the first time the vast arc of American self-taught artists will be seen at the Amon Carter. The exhibition will greatly enhance the broad conversations about American art that are at the heart of our institution.”</p>
<p>Other works on view in the Amon Carter’s galleries dovetail richly with <em>Self-Taught Genius</em>. Drawn from private collections, the exhibition <em>Texas Folk Art</em> provides a fresh look at the lively and spirited works of self-taught artists from the Lone Star State. In addition, the faux-naïve monumental canvas by Esther Pearl Watson (b. 1973), created specifically for display in the museum’s Atrium, is a visionary memory painting reflecting the artist’s childhood in Comanche, Texas.</p>
<p>A fully illustrated color catalogue, published by the American Folk Art Museum and Marquand Books, with essays by curators Stacy C. Hollander, Deputy Director, Chief Curator and Director of Exhibitions at the American Folk Art Museum, and Dr. Valérie Rousseau, Curator, Self-Taught Art and Art Brut at the American Folk Art Museum, will accompany the exhibition and retail in the Museum Store for $19.95 beginning in October.</p>
<p>After closing at the Amon Carter, the exhibition travels to the New Orleans Museum of Art (February 26–May 22, 2016), Saint Louis Art Museum (June 19–September 11, 2016) and Tampa Museum of Art (October 1, 2016–January 8, 2017).</p>
<p>“For 75 years, the Henry Luce Foundation has fostered scholarship, innovation and leadership—also attributes of the American Folk Art Museum. We are proud to sponsor a national tour of their exemplary collection that represents distinctive American creativity,” says Dr. Michael Gilligan, president of the Foundation.</p>
<p>FREE PUBLIC PROGRAMS</p>
<p>Thursday, October 22, 5:30–9:30 p.m.<br /><em>Art in the Dark</em> Community Program<br />
This program is sponsored by Humphrey &amp; Associates, Inc.</p>
<p>Thursday, November 5, 6 p.m.<br /><em>Redefining Art with Rick Lowe</em>* Lecture<br />
This program is made possible by a generous gift from the late Anne Burnett Tandy.</p>
<p>Saturday, November 7, 10:30 a.m.<br /><em>Art Discovery: Storytelling</em>* Family Workshop</p>
<p>Thursday, December 3, 6 p.m.<br /><em>How to Make an American Quilt</em>* Book Club</p>
<p>*Reservations are required. Registration opens the first day of the month prior to each program. Email visitors@cartermuseum.org or call 817.989.5030 to register.</p>
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Mon, 13 Jul 2015 18:21:09 +0000Tracy G.39229 at http://www.cartermuseum.orgAmon Carter Museum of American Art Presents That Day: Laura Wilsonhttp://www.cartermuseum.org/press/releases/amon-carter-museum-of-american-art-presents-that-day-laura-wilson
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<span class="date-display-single" property="dc:date" datatype="xsd:dateTime" content="2015-06-01T00:00:00-05:00">June 1, 2015</span> </div>
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<p>FORT WORTH, Texas—The Amon Carter Museum of American Art presents <em>That Day: Laura Wilson</em> on view September 5, 2015, through February 14, 2016. The exhibition of 71 photographs by Laura Wilson introduces the artist’s vision of the American West as a rural, hard-bitten land filled with fiercely independent people. Admission is free.</p>
<p>“Through her photographs, Wilson asks us to recognize the West that is, if not always a patriotic land with wholesome communities, a place where diverse lives can and do coexist,” says John Rohrbach, senior curator of photographs at the Amon Carter.</p>
<p>The subjects of Wilson’s photographs include American Indian communities in South Dakota; debutantes in Laredo, Texas; Hutterite communities in Montana; people along the U.S.-Mexico border; ranchers in West Texas; rodeo performers in Fort Worth; and six-man football teams across Texas.</p>
<p>“I am drawn to people who live in an enclosed world—those people who live in isolated communities, whether by circumstance or accomplishment; I am curious and always want to know more,” says Wilson. “I don’t mean to say one way of life is better than another but merely to say that my wish, as Eudora Welty wrote, ‘would be not to point a finger in judgment but to part a curtain, that invisible shadow that falls between people, the veil of indifference to each other’s presence, each other’s wonder, each other’s human plight.’ ”</p>
<p>Wilson’s interest in the American West began as a child in New England and blossomed when she moved to Texas in 1966. In 1979 she was hired to help Richard Avedon (1923–2004) with the now-classic <em>In the American West</em> project. Over the six years she worked with Avedon, she saw a lot of the rural West; and by watching him interact with his sitters, and by practicing her own photographic documentation of him at work, she established the terms for her own work. She embraced Avedon’s same passion for revealing the human condition, but she broadened this vision with her own unique eye.</p>
<p>“While Avedon always set his subjects against his signature white backdrop, she chose to leave her subjects in their worlds in order to highlight her recognition that going at it alone rarely works in the vast, often unforgiving landscape of the West,” says Rohrbach. “Whereas Avedon’s portraits are in many ways pictures of himself, Wilson’s photographs present communities beyond herself.”</p>
<p><em>That Day: Laura Wilson</em> is supported in part by generous contributions from the Alturas Foundation, Mollie and Garland Lasater Charitable Fund of the Community Foundation of North Texas, Ruth Mutch, Salle Stemmons and Worthington National Bank. The exhibition is accompanied by the hardcover catalogue <em>That Day: Pictures in the American West</em> published by Yale University Press, which will retail for $50 in the Amon Carter Museum Store in September.</p>
<p>The artist will present a free lecture at the museum about the exhibition on Thursday, October 1 at 6 p.m. Call 817-989-5030 or email visitors@cartermuseum.org to reserve your seat beginning September 1. This program on American art, culture and society is made possible by a generous gift from the late Anne Burnett Tandy.</p>
<p>Laura Wilson’s work has appeared in many publications, including <em>The New York Times Magazine</em>, <em>The New Yorker</em>, <em>The Washington Post Magazine</em> and London’s <em>Sunday Times Magazine</em>. She is the author of four books—<em>Hutterites of Montana</em> (Yale University Press, 2000), <em>Watt Matthews of Lambshead</em> (Texas Historical Association, 1989), <em>Avedon at Work</em> (Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center/University of Texas Press, 2003) and <em>Grit and Glory</em> (Bright Sky Press, 2003). Wilson is currently working on two projects, one documents preeminent writers in the United States and abroad—men and women who will have a lasting literary legacy; and the second documents Hollywood directors, screenwriters, cinematographers and actors behind the scenes.</p>
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Mon, 01 Jun 2015 14:54:09 +0000Tracy G.39131 at http://www.cartermuseum.orgAcclaimed Writer David McCullough to Speak in Fort Worthhttp://www.cartermuseum.org/press/releases/acclaimed-writer-david-mccullough-to-speak-in-fort-worth
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<span class="date-display-single" property="dc:date" datatype="xsd:dateTime" content="2015-05-26T00:00:00-05:00">May 26, 2015</span> </div>
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<p>FORT WORTH, Texas—The Amon Carter Museum of American Art is pleased to welcome David McCullough, award-winning author and historian, for a lecture to discuss his book <em>The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris</em> on July 18 at 6 p.m. The free program will be held at the W. E. Scott Theatre at the Fort Worth Community Arts Center, across from the Amon Carter on Gendy Street. It is offered in conjunction with the museum’s exhibition <a href="http://www.cartermuseum.org/exhibitions/samuel-f-b-morses-gallery-of-the-louvre-and-the-art-of-invention"><em>Samuel F. B. Morse’s</em> Gallery of the Louvre <em>and the Art of Invention</em></a>. The book is about 19th-century Americans like Samuel Morse, who migrated to Paris and went on to achieve importance in culture or innovation.</p>
<p>McCullough is a two-time Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award winner. His 10th book, <em>The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris</em>, published in 2011, is a <em>New York Times</em> best seller. In 2006 he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian award. McCullough is an author, editor, lecturer, teacher and a familiar presence on public television. His books have been translated and published in 15 countries and have never been out of print. His previous work, <em>1776</em> (2005) is considered a classic, and <em>John Adams</em> (2001) remains one of the most widely read American biographies of all time.</p>
<p>Registration for the David McCullough lecture is required and opens Monday, June 1. Please call the Amon Carter at 817.989.5030 or email visitors@cartermuseum.org to reserve a seat and receive helpful information about parking.</p>
<p>This program is made possible by an anonymous donor.</p>
<p>The Amon Carter Museum of American Art offers outstanding exhibitions and public programs for adults and children and is open Tuesday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. and Sunday from 12–5 p.m. Admission is always free. www.cartermuseum.org.</p>
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Tue, 26 May 2015 16:23:23 +0000Tracy G.39122 at http://www.cartermuseum.orgAmon Carter Museum of American Art Honors Military Personnel by Participating in the Blue Star Museums Program http://www.cartermuseum.org/press/releases/amon-carter-museum-of-american-art-honors-military-personnel-by-participating-in-the-blue-star-museums-program-2
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<span class="date-display-single" property="dc:date" datatype="xsd:dateTime" content="2015-05-20T00:00:00-05:00">May 20, 2015</span> </div>
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<p>FORT WORTH, Texas—The Amon Carter Museum of American Art announces today that it will honor military personnel this summer by participating for the sixth year in the Blue Star Museums program in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense and museums across America.</p>
<p>The Blue Star Museums program allows free museum admission to active-duty military personnel and their families, from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Because admission is always free to the Amon Carter, the museum is offering a free souvenir. This memento is available to both active-duty and retired military personnel when they visit from Tuesday, May 26, to Sunday, September 6, 2015.</p>
<p>More than 2,000 museums in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and American Samoa are taking part in the initiative. The complete list of participating museums is available at www.arts.gov/bluestarmuseums.</p>
<p>“It’s always an honor to welcome our military visitors to the Amon Carter,” says Andrew J. Walker, director. “American heroes experiencing American art is a wonderful combination.”</p>
<p>The Amon Carter Museum of American Art offers outstanding exhibitions and public programs for adults and children and is open Tuesday–Saturday from 10 a.m.–5 p.m. and Sunday from 12–5 p.m. Closed Mondays and major holidays.</p>
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Wed, 20 May 2015 03:20:51 +0000Tracy G.39100 at http://www.cartermuseum.orgAmerican Indian Masterworks on View at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art this Summer http://www.cartermuseum.org/press/releases/american-indian-masterworks-on-view-at-the-amon-carter-museum-of-american-art-this-summer
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<span class="date-display-single" property="dc:date" datatype="xsd:dateTime" content="2015-04-07T00:00:00-05:00">April 7, 2015</span> </div>
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<p>FORT WORTH, Texas—This summer, the Amon Carter Museum of American Art presents the traveling exhibition <em>Indigenous Beauty: Masterworks of American Indian Art from the Diker Collection</em>. Organized by the American Federation of Arts (AFA), the exhibition is drawn from the celebrated holdings of Charles and Valerie Diker and features approximately 120 masterworks representing tribes across the North American continent. The exhibition is on view at the Amon Carter from July 7 through September 13, 2015; admission is free.</p>
<p>“This exhibition has been shaped by the Dikers’ passion for Native American art, and their collection is renowned as one of the largest and most comprehensive in private hands,” says AFA Director Pauline Willis. “We are delighted to bring these exquisite works to Fort Worth.”</p>
<p>Selections from the collection have been presented previously at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (1998–2000) and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian (2003–2006), but <em>Indigenous Beauty</em> showcases recent acquisitions never before seen by the public. This is the first traveling exhibition curated from this remarkable collection.</p>
<p>“Charles and Valerie Diker are collectors and stewards of exceptional works of art from all corners of native North America, and audiences will be awed by the transformative spirit of creativity of the First Peoples whose ‘art schools’ were their families and communities,” says Barbara Brotherton, curator of Native American Art at the Seattle Art Museum. “This traveling exhibition and accompanying catalogue will invigorate new perspectives and rich discussion about the ways in which these objects affirm cultural values and express refined aesthetic sensibilities.”</p>
<p><em>Indigenous Beauty</em> emphasizes three interrelated themes—diversity, beauty and knowledge—that relate both to the works’ original contexts and to the ways in which they might be experienced by non-Native visitors in a contemporary museum setting. The exhibition is organized in 11 sections; while the objects within each section demonstrate common formal and functional qualities, the groupings are based primarily on geographic and cultural factors, allowing the viewer to perceive the impact of historical events as well as stylistic shifts over the course of decades or centuries. The range of work represented includes sculpture of the Northwest Coast; ancient ivories from the Bering Strait region; Yup’ik and Aleut masks from the Western Arctic; Kachina dolls of the Southwest pueblos; Southwest pottery; sculptural objects from the Eastern Woodlands; Eastern regalia; Plains regalia; pictographic arts of the Plains; and Western baskets.</p>
<p>Diversity is underlined as an essential aspect of indigenous American art, a corrective to the notion of a homogenous “American Indian” cultural and ethnic identity.</p>
<p>“Visitors to the exhibition are reminded that there is not just one North American Indian culture but hundreds of unique groups whose languages, mythologies and customs have evolved over the centuries,” says Andrew J. Walker, director of the Amon Carter. “The comprehensive nature of the Dikers’ collection allows for this broad view of Native American art in all its complexity and historical specificity.”</p>
<p>A hallmark of the Diker Collection is the beauty and visual richness of the objects it comprises. The concept of formal beauty is the oldest and perhaps the strongest link between the material cultures of indigenous people and those of the Euro-American West. All known Native American languages include words that signify beauty or aesthetic quality, and many have more than one term to convey these concepts. For instance, in the language of Anishinaabe peoples which includes the Ottawa, Ojibwa or Algonquin, the word <em>miikawaadiziwin</em> refers to physical comeliness or handsomeness, while <em>bishigendaagoziwin</em> denotes beauty of a more spiritual and ethical nature. Such nuanced vocabularies influence the creation of objects within Native communities, each with its own criteria for technical excellence and aesthetic merit.</p>
<p>Cultural knowledge is inseparable from the practices of traditional art making in Native communities. From their elders, artists learn techniques for gathering and processing materials; production methods; a repertory of designs and patterns and the meanings they may contain; and often songs, prayers and rituals that are closely tied to art making. Over the last few decades, increased scholarship and closer collaborations between museums and Native communities have resulted in the recovery of knowledge about how objects were made, as well as their provenance and the ways they might have been used and understood in the contexts in which they originated.</p>
<p><em>Indigenous Beauty</em> celebrates native North American artists whose visionary creativity and technical mastery have helped preserve cultural values across generations. The artists identified as members of many tribes and nations, each the product of complex and intertwined histories; and the captivating objects they created convey the extraordinary breadth and variety of Native American experience in North America. The exhibition shows both the deep historical roots of Native art and its dynamism, emphasizing the living cultures and traditions of Native American groups through to the contemporary era.</p>
<p>Visitors to the Amon Carter can have a hands-on experience with many of the materials the artists used to create the objects in the exhibition. Tactile boards with several authentic materials (such as buffalo hide, abalone shells and seed beads) will be available for visitors to interact with while viewing the artworks.</p>
<p><em>Indigenous Beauty: Masterworks of American Indian Art from the Diker Collection</em> is organized by the American Federation of Arts. This exhibition was made possible by the generosity of an anonymous donor, the JFM Foundation and Mrs. Donald M. Cox. The guest curator, David Penney, is an internationally recognized scholar of American Indian art. A fully illustrated catalogue presenting new research on the objects in the exhibition will include an essay by Penney, and contributions offer insight into the visual and material diversity of the collection, providing a greater understanding of the social and cultural worlds from which these works came. The catalogue will retail for $55 in the Museum Store.</p>
<p>After closing at the Amon Carter, the exhibition travels to the Michael C. Carlos Museum at Emory University (October 8, 2015–January 3, 2016) and Toledo Museum of Art (February 14–May 11, 2016).</p>
<p><em>End</em></p>
<p><strong>About the <a href="www.afaweb.org">American Federation of Arts</a></strong><br />
The American Federation of Arts is the leader in traveling exhibitions internationally. A nonprofit institution founded in 1909, the AFA is dedicated to enriching the public’s experience and understanding of the visual arts through organizing and touring art exhibitions for presentation in museums around the world, publishing exhibition catalogues featuring important scholarly research, and developing educational programs.</p>
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Tue, 07 Apr 2015 14:51:48 +0000Tracy G.38988 at http://www.cartermuseum.orgStorytime Begins June 10 at the Amon Carter Museum of American Arthttp://www.cartermuseum.org/press/releases/storytime-begins-june-10-at-the-amon-carter-museum-of-american-art
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<span class="date-display-single" property="dc:date" datatype="xsd:dateTime" content="2015-03-31T00:00:00-05:00">March 31, 2015</span> </div>
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<p>FORT WORTH, Texas—The Amon Carter Museum of American Art invites families with young children to participate in this summer’s free Storytime series, held every Wednesday, June 10 through July 29, from 10:30 a.m.–noon.</p>
<p>The Storytime program, an annual favorite, connects beloved children’s books with a variety of artworks on view in the Amon Carter’s galleries. Weekly themes are: June 10—Awesome Amphibians; June 17—Marvelous Mammals; June 24—Sensational Sea Creatures; July 1—Radical Reptiles; July 8—Incredible Insects; July 15—Fabulous Fish; July 22—Brilliant Birds; and July 29—Wonderful Water Beasts. Each weekly program will also include art making and a snack.</p>
<p>“We can’t wait for our young visitors to go wild about animals and art,” says Jessica Kennedy, public programs manager. “Mark your summer calendars for stories and fun art projects on Wednesdays at the Amon Carter.” During each Storytime, participating children can register to win that week’s featured books. A drawing will be held at the end of each program; those chosen need not be present to win.</p>
<p>Due to construction, the main entrance and parking lot are closed. Families should enter the museum through the door on Lancaster Avenue. Paid parking is available off Gendy Street in the surface lots at Will Rogers Memorial Center and in the Western Heritage Garage.</p>
<p>Reservations are not necessary, but parents are encouraged to call 817.989.5030 or email visitors@cartermuseum.org for helpful information and parking tips. Storytime is best for families with children ages 8 and under and their adult companions. Support for this program is provided in part by Galderma Laboratories, LP and Terra Foundation for American Art.</p>
<p>The Amon Carter offers a customized experience for summer school and daycare groups on different days. Please call 817.989.5036 or email schooltours@cartermuseum.org for more information.</p>
<p>The Amon Carter Museum of American Art offers outstanding exhibitions and public programs for adults and children and is open Tuesday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. and Sunday from 12–5 p.m. Admission is always free. www.cartermuseum.org.</p>
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Tue, 31 Mar 2015 17:36:23 +0000Tracy G.38971 at http://www.cartermuseum.orgAmon Carter Museum of American Art Announces New Chief Financial Officer http://www.cartermuseum.org/press/releases/amon-carter-museum-of-american-art-announces-new-chief-financial-officer
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<span class="date-display-single" property="dc:date" datatype="xsd:dateTime" content="2015-03-30T00:00:00-05:00">March 30, 2015</span> </div>
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<p>FORT WORTH, Texas—The Amon Carter Museum of American Art announces today that Scott Wilcox has joined the museum’s leadership team as the chief financial officer (CFO). As CFO, Wilcox has primary responsibility for the implementation and management of the museum’s financial operations; he will oversee the accounting and security departments as well as the Museum Store.</p>
<p>“Scott is an accomplished senior administrator who has the proven ability to help organizations manage effectively and efficiently,” says Andrew J. Walker, director of the Amon Carter. “His expertise and talents are vast and very much align with the museum’s mission.”</p>
<p>Wilcox has more than 30 years of financial management, operations and administration experience, including a 14-year tenure at the Fort Worth Zoo. At the Zoo, Wilcox served as the chief operating officer, CFO and deputy director and previously the senior director of administration. He managed the operational, financial and administrative functions including capital projects, development, education, engineering, finance, information technology and revenue operations. His experience also includes financial positions at Ernst &amp; Young, JaGee Holdings, Pro Line Western and TeleQuestion, Inc.</p>
<p>“Because I have long admired the Amon Carter, this position is truly an honor for me,” says Wilcox. “I am thrilled to be a part of a team that works to ensure the museum continually provides accessible and rewarding experiences for all visitors.”</p>
<p>Wilcox graduated cum laude from TCU with a Bachelor of Business Administration. He is a certified public accountant (CPA), certified management accountant (CMA) and a longtime volunteer for The First Tee of Fort Worth.</p>
<p>The Amon Carter Museum of American Art offers outstanding exhibitions and public programs for adults and children and is open Tuesday–Saturday from 10 a.m.–5 p.m. and Sunday from 12–5 p.m. Admission is always free.</p>
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Mon, 30 Mar 2015 18:03:38 +0000Tracy G.38961 at http://www.cartermuseum.orgAmon Carter Museum’s Sara Klein named NAEA’s 2015 Western Region Museum Art Educator of the Year http://www.cartermuseum.org/press/releases/amon-carter-museums-sara-klein-named-naeas-2015-western-region-museum-art-educator-of-the-year
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<span class="date-display-single" property="dc:date" datatype="xsd:dateTime" content="2015-03-24T00:00:00-05:00">March 24, 2015</span> </div>
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<p>FORT WORTH, Texas—The National Art Education Association (NAEA) has named Sara Klein, teacher and school programs manager at the Amon Carter Museum of American Art, to receive the 2015 Western Region Museum Art Educator of the Year Award. This prestigious award, determined through a peer review of nominations, recognizes the exemplary contributions, service and achievements of an outstanding NAEA member annually at the regional level within their division. The award will be presented at the NAEA National Convention in New Orleans, March 26–28, 2015.</p>
<p>“This award is being given to recognize excellence in professional accomplishment and service by a dedicated art educator,” says NAEA President Dennis Inhulsen. “Sara Klein exemplifies the highly qualified art educators active in education today: leaders, teachers, students, scholars and advocates who give their best to their students and the profession.”</p>
<p>Klein joined the Amon Carter in 2009; she develops and implements a broad range of programs designed to assist educators and students of all grade levels and disciplines to explore and understand the museum’s collections and special exhibitions.</p>
<p>“Sara is passionate about connecting students and educators with the Amon Carter’s collection and special exhibitions, and works tirelessly to create opportunities for these connections that leaves all involved positively impacted,” says Stacy Fuller, director of public engagement at the Amon Carter. “Whether a 3-year-old experiences the wonder of the museum’s architectural spaces for the first time or a veteran teacher sees a favorite painting from a new perspective, Sara’s thoughtful attention to program creation, implementation and evaluation ensures each student and educator who enters the museum can have a transformative experience.”</p>
<p>NAEA is the professional association for art educators. Members include elementary, secondary, middle level and high school art teachers; university and college professors; education directors who oversee education in our nation’s fine art museums; administrators and supervisors who oversee art education in school districts, state departments of education and arts councils; and teaching artists throughout the United States and other countries. For more information about the association and its awards program, visit the <a href="www.arteducators.org">NAEA website</a>.</p>
<p>The Amon Carter Museum of American Art offers outstanding exhibitions and public programs for adults and children and is open Tuesday–Saturday from 10 a.m.–5 p.m. and Sunday from 12–5 p.m. Admission is always free.</p>
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Tue, 24 Mar 2015 17:31:28 +0000Tracy G.38952 at http://www.cartermuseum.orgAmon Carter Museum of American Art Presents Samuel F. B. Morse’s "Gallery of the Louvre"http://www.cartermuseum.org/press/releases/amon-carter-museum-of-american-art-presents-samuel-f-b-morses-gallery-of-the-louvre
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<span class="date-display-single" property="dc:date" datatype="xsd:dateTime" content="2015-03-23T00:00:00-05:00">March 23, 2015</span> </div>
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<p>FORT WORTH, Texas—This summer, the Amon Carter Museum of American Art invites visitors to experience an iconic work of American art, <em>Gallery of the Louvre</em> by Samuel F. B. Morse (1791–1872). The masterwork is on a national tour organized by the Terra Foundation for American Art and is on view at the Amon Carter May 23 through August 23, 2015, in the exhibition <em>Samuel F. B. Morse’s</em> Gallery of the Louvre <em>and the Art of Invention</em>. Admission is free.</p>
<p>“Most people likely know Samuel Morse for his work developing the telegraph and for the code that bears his name, but he was more than a scientist—he was an important artist and educator,” says assistant curator Maggie Adler. “He exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts in London, painted numerous portraits and history paintings, and helped found the National Academy of Design in New York City.”</p>
<p>In 1833, Morse completed <em>Gallery of the Louvre</em>, a canvas more than 6 feet tall and 9 feet wide and one he hoped would be his greatest career achievement. The painting is full of miniature renderings of the works of France’s great cultural treasure house, the Musée du Louvre.</p>
<p>“Morse’s ‘gallery picture,’ a form first popularized in the seventeenth century, is the only major example of such in the history of American art,” says Peter John Brownlee, curator at the Terra Foundation.</p>
<p>The painting was exhibited just twice in the United States; and while it received praise from critics, public audiences didn’t connect with the painting. Soon after this rejection, Morse turned his full attention to devising a means of rapid long-distance communication—an endeavor that would secure his place in history.</p>
<p>Now an iconic work of American art, <em>Gallery of the Louvre</em> depicts reduced versions of 38 paintings, two sculptures and several figures. For audiences at the time, this singular work of astounding complexity provided a summation of the history of European art, giving an opportunity for viewers to see da Vinci’s <em>Mona Lisa</em>, the works of Titian and Rubens, and a great Caravaggio, which they probably would have not otherwise experienced.</p>
<p>The paintings Morse chose to recreate in <em>Gallery of the Louvre</em> actually never hung together as a group in the Louvre’s Salon Carré (“square gallery”). In creating this work, Morse acted in a sort of curatorial capacity, assembling his own display of the museum’s greatest hits and conveying through his selections and juxtapositions his own theory of the history of art.</p>
<p>“Think of the painting as Morse’s fantasy football team or Pinterest board,” says Adler. “He chose an assemblage of artists and works that delighted and fascinated him, building on a long European tradition of paintings of fantasy galleries or painted representations of famous private collections.”</p>
<p>Morse’s Gallery will be displayed along with artworks from the Amon Carter’s collection, such as John Sloan’s <em>Copyist at the Metropolitan Museum</em> (1908) and Ruth Orkin’s photograph of Woody Allen in the galleries at the Met (1963). These supplemental works feature visitor experiences in museum and gallery spaces. A key to the painting based on Morse’s own version will be on display and enlarged so visitors can easily identify individual works.</p>
<p>The spirit of curating masterworks will be offered online for the Amon Carter’s Facebook followers in a virtual gallery during the run of the Morse exhibition. Participants will have the opportunity to choose their favorite works from a selection of the Amon Carter’s collection. Each month for three months the most liked images will be “exhibited” in three virtual Morse gallery spaces that mirror the backdrop of <em>Gallery of the Louvre</em>.</p>
<p>A hardcover exhibition catalogue published by Yale University Press brings together fresh insights on the painting and artist by academics, curators and conservators, who focus on the work’s visual components and the social and historical contexts that make it such a rich, complex work. It will be sold in the Amon Carter Museum Store for $45, along with a souvenir book for $14.95.</p>
<p>This exhibition is organized by and with support from the Terra Foundation for American Art. The Fort Worth presentation is supported in part by AZZ incorporated. The Amon Carter Museum of American Art is the second stop for the <em>Gallery of the Louvre</em>’s multiyear, nine-venue tour of the United States. A list of the tour cities can be found <a href="http://www.terraamericanart.org/2014/10/02/terra-foundation-announces-national-tour-and-published-anthology-of-american-masterpiece/">here</a>.</p>
<p>FREE PUBLIC PROGRAM<br />
Gallery Talk Back<br />
July 25, 2015, 10:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m.</p>
<p>Share your observations and discover new insights about Morse’s <em>Gallery of the Louvre</em>. No reservations are required.</p>
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<p><strong>About Terra Foundation for American Art</strong><br />
Established in 1978, the Terra Foundation for American Art is dedicated to fostering the exploration, understanding and enjoyment of the visual arts of the United States. With financial resources of more than $350 million, an exceptional collection of American art from the Colonial era to 1945 and an expansive grant program, it is one of the leading foundations focused on American art, supporting exhibitions, academic programs and research worldwide.</p>
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Mon, 23 Mar 2015 14:52:43 +0000Tracy G.38921 at http://www.cartermuseum.org Amon Carter Museum of American Art Exhibits Mural-Size Painting by Texas Artist Esther Pearl Watsonhttp://www.cartermuseum.org/press/releases/amon-carter-museum-of-american-art-exhibits-mural-size-painting-by-texas-artist-esther-pearl-watson
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<p>The Amon Carter Museum of American Art presents a mural-size painting by Texas artist Esther Pearl Watson (b. 1973) titled <em>Pasture Cows Crossing Indian Creek, Comanche, Texas, Looking for the old Civilian Fort of 1851, North of Gustine and a mile west of Baggett Creek Church</em>. Approximately 13 feet wide by 10 feet tall, the artwork captures her childhood memories of Comanche, Texas; it was created specifically for the museum and will be on view May 19, 2015, through May 30, 2016, in the Atrium.</p>
<p>“This exhibition is part of the Amon Carter’s ongoing program of showing work by living artists in the Atrium,” says Andrew J. Walker, director. “We are committed to exploring Texas artists and their contributions to modern American art, and it is truly an honor to show this wonderful narrative painting by Esther Pearl Watson.”</p>
<p>The painting features a wide swath of land in Comanche, where the artist’s grandfather operated a cattle ranch and was general manager of the local radio station. Watson highlights the canvas with landmarks and motifs that are identifiable to Texas natives, such as a barbed wire fence, cows, horses and a Ford pickup truck.</p>
<p>“This lively, storied painting is an homage to the artist’s family and the memories they built together,” says Shirley Reece-Hughes, associate curator of paintings and sculpture. “Although deeply personal, the narrative transcends Watson’s inner world and relays distinctive folklores and qualities that are unique to Texas.”</p>
<p>Born in Germany but raised in North Dallas in the 1980s, Watson grew up with an eccentric father who built spaceships in the front yard hoping to sell one to NASA. While her father thought of himself as an inventor, aspiring to create transportation for the future, Watson struggled to understand his intentions. It was not until she discovered an art book in college devoted to individuals who built flying saucers, along with Raw Vision, a magazine devoted to outsider art, that Watson understood her father’s dreams. She began to recognize him as a visionary, or outsider/folk artist—typically self-taught individuals who express their creativity in a personal way, irrespective of the mainstream art world.</p>
<p>“Because of my father, I have always felt at home with vernacular art,” says Watson. “My work has been called insider-outsider and faux naive. For me, it is a visual language I associate with the subjective.”</p>
<p>As a nod to her father’s influence, the artist often includes flying saucers in her canvases; a luminous pink one appears in <em>Pasture Cows Crossing Indian Creek</em>.</p>
<p>Watson holds a Master’s of Fine Art from the California Institute of the Arts, teaches at Pasadena Art Center College of Design, and exhibits internationally. In addition to her paintings, she is celebrated for her illustrated series of comic novels entitled <em>Unlovable</em>.</p>
<p>Concurrent with the Amon Carter’s exhibition, the artist has an exhibition opening at the Webb Gallery in Waxahachie, Texas. The exhibition, <em>Mother Popcorn</em>, is on view from June 7 to August 12.</p>
<p>The Amon Carter will also exhibit the work of 20th-century Texas folk artists such as H. O. Kelly, Reverend Johnnie Swearingen, Velox Ward and Clara McDonald Williamson in the exhibition <em>Texas Folk Art</em>, on view June 6, 2015–June 5, 2016.</p>
<p>The Amon Carter Museum of American Art offers outstanding exhibitions and public programs for adults and children and is open Tuesday–Saturday from 10 a.m.–5 p.m. and Sunday from 12–5 p.m. Admission is always free.</p>
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Thu, 12 Mar 2015 19:37:07 +0000Tracy G.38894 at http://www.cartermuseum.org